Forever Young - Use simple chords to make a smash hit - Tutorial
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ต.ค. 2024
- The smash 80s hit "Forever Young" by Alphaville is a prime example on how the simplest of chords, pretty much repeated throughout the whole song, can be the most beautiful and effective way to make a great song.
With a great singer on top and the vocals going higher in register as the song progresses the impact is of an epic journey.
/ espenkraft
/ espenkraftmusic
/ espenkraft
www.espenkraft.com
open.spotify.c...
In this tutorial I show how the chords work together. I go through all the chords and how certain words in the lyrics end up on a minor or major chord to emphasise impact.
Finally I go through my own alternate version on how to perform this song with more mellow Major7, minor 7 and 11' chords to give the whole a more melancholy jazz/pop feel. All chords and finger settings go along. I've simplyfied many of the chords as using all fingers isn't really necessary on the more complicated chords. The root key plus three fingers on the right hand is usually enough. There's also some "spur of the moment" chords inversions, but these must be experimented with to find what sounds best.
Many of the techniques and tips in this turorial are primarily for beginners in the world of composition and for those who do not yet fully understand the importance of more complex chords and chord progression.
Listen to more of my music on: www.espenkraft.com
My tracks pay homage to all synth-pop acts of the 80s like Howard Jones, Depeche Mode, Pet Shop Boys, New Order, The Human League, Erasure, Thompson Twins, Tears for Fears, Ultravox, OMD, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, Yazoo, Giorgio Moroder, Jean Michel Jarre, Jan Hammer, Alphaville, A-ha and many more.
I use the following synths, samplers and drum machines in my studio at the moment:
Roland JX-8P synth
Roland Alpha Juno 2 synth
Roland D-550 synth
Roland TR-626 drum machine
Roland S-10 sampler
Roland S-550 sampler
Roland MKS-20 Piano module
Yamaha DX7 synth
Yamaha TX802 synth
Yamaha A3000 sampler
Yamaha RX11 drum machine
Akai S1000 Sampler
E-MU Emax II sampler
E-MU ESI4000 sampler
Novation MiniNova synth
Elka EK22 synth
Elka EM22 synth
Korg DW-8000 synth
Korg DDM-220 digital percussion
Please subscribe on my TH-cam channel: / espenkraft
This song always speaks to me - the simple days of childhood and early teens in the 80's. It strikes a minor chord with me especially because i had met a cute girl at summer camp who loved this song (played it incessantly on her walkman), and a couple of years later i found out she had committed suicide :(. I will continue to feel the irony of this song every time i hear it, because it was her anthem, and to me she will always be forever young. Great work Espen! Love the chord progression and enjoyed your analysis.
Thank you! What a story man... I too have a couple of songs that has the same kind of bitter sweet emotions attached to them. I guess music has that power. Anyways, thanks for sharing and thanks for watching! :)
That's SO sad :(
Beautiful story man. May she Rest In Peace
As a kid then and those 1980S chord progressions make my hair stand up. They never fail.
Espen, as someone born in the 90's with a fascination for synth heavy 80's music, I'm so glad I stumble across your channel. Much love from Pittsburgh
Thanks Nic! I appreciate your love for 80s synth infested pop he-he. Thanks for following me and my channel! Greetings from Norway! :)
Im an 1980s kid and that haunting synth progression is very 1980s hits me in the feels.
@@EspenKraft funny, i thought you were German, but now I can suddenly hear the Scandinavian accent😊 as always, great work Espen 👍 Stor hilsen og godt nytår, her fra Danmark.
This song hits me right in the heart every time I hear it anywhere. I’m so blessed to have been a teenager in the 80s.
Amazing remake!!! Forever Young is one of my favorite "Canon in D" progression songs. And, you've really brought it alive in this deconstruction 🙏
Awesome man! It's mighty warming to hear this. Thanks! :)
Lets not forget the first pop star, Pachebel, and his cannon in D. his chord sequence goes back to the late 17th century. and countless songs have been written from it. I love Forever young but found your chord sequence even better somehow.Thank you for sharing. Very inspiring.
Thanks! I appreciate you saying that :)
You forgot to talk about the great, iconic ending to the song!
One of my all time favorites of the 80s, whenever this song comes on I stop what I'm doing and soak it in, I like the dance version better and I love the killer trumpet solos!
Epsen, your teaching style is unique and amazing and never seen it even in my university music course. You don’t slap the music to face of the listeners. You bring every piece of emotion from the listeners and connect them to the every single note of the music. Listening to music with no connection is like having best delicious meal when you have cold and all your tasting senses are blocked. You just gave us a piece bread in a forest with all our senses and acceptors open. Thank You.
These are very kind words Araz, thanks! :)
So simple, and yet so complex... I have not formerly realised how beautiful and sumptuous this chord progression can be...
It's all about how they used the chords and the melody together :)
The whole album is brilliant. Still my favourite track is 'Summer in Berlin'.
overall sound is amazing in "Summer in Berlin" I agree. This is also my favorite recording
So hard to find a Summer in Berlin comrade when others go to big in japan
Aha a fellow fan of Summer in Berlin! While Forever Young is the given hit of the album, Summer in Berlin is so quirky and offbeat while maintaining the classic Alphaville nostalgic feeling... just realised the Schiller just released a cover of it in cooperation with Alphaville. In fact, the whole album is titled “Summer in Berlin” and is well worth a listen.
"Summer in Berlin" describes the mood of these (summer)times in summer in Berlin. I couldt imagine very well, the way they felt to write this song, even I grew up in the GDR and was only 15 , I heard this song for the first time. Well done Marian, Bernhard and Frank!
Summer in Berlin is great man. The lead in the aur and the fire in the sky!
I'm old now but forever young. A privileges for us teens back in the 80's
I remember two years ago, on our city laid, Alphaville were on of the music acts. Great to see them live and
stand next to Marian :-)
That's awesome! What a great memory to have :)
A great pop hymn back in the days when I was really much much younger. Now those days are far away and gone. But thanks, sir, for bringing them back through your synth lessons. Bless!!!
Many thanks! :)
Just discovered your channel and I think it's great you focus so much on 80s music. I was a teenager then and tutorials like this bring back many happy memories!
Thanks! That's what I do. ;-)
So great this song. My whole life favorite song ❤
One of my favourites too. such a powerful song. I was 16 at the time.
Finally a guy who understands music and the 80s epoc! Vielen dank!
Thanks! The 80s must live on! 😃
Absolutely beatiful approach you did there at the end!
Loved it
Many thanks. Cheers! :D
I loved that song, the whole album, really, back when it came out. It contributed to me starting to make music. Thanks for bringing this back in our memory!
My pleasure man! It's always been one of my favorites as well.
Superb stuff; such a haunting song.
I really enjoyed your take! It had enough variation to make it really interesting while still being Forever Young
Many thanks! :)
Thanks for putting this together. I have loved this song since being first finding in it via a happy hardcore version (don't laugh!). The really big takeaway, for songwriters like us, is as you say, how this song was written using only basic chords, but the combination of these chords with the melody has yielded a sublime pop song. We can get carried away thinking that we need to be "clever" and "sophisticated" in our songwriting, going to the nth degree to learn all about extended chords, altered chords, chord substitutions, chromatic harmony, Neapolitan 6ths, mixolydian, lydian, whatever-ian, and all the rest of it (the warren goes very deep indeed), and being able to improvise in all 15 keys when in reality, much greatness can be, and has been, achieved with simple chords written in simple keys.
I'm now undertaking an analysis of song myself. There is much to be learnt from songs like this. And it is a good motivator to practise less, write more!
Oh, that happy hardcore version: th-cam.com/video/f2_R2p23yx8/w-d-xo.html :-)
Thanks for watching! Sometimes less is more and this track is a fine example, especially when you know they stripped it down to bare minimum just before release. The hardcore version is a prime example of why I don't do 90s music he-he.
I am currently planning writing my own synth-pop song. Alphaville's "Forever Young" I am thinking about covering. If it comes out well, I will even lay down the synth tracks, and perform it live with an acoustic guitar.
Idolizing bands such as Depeche Mode, Yazoo, Alphaville, Kraftwerk, The Human League, etc.. I have shifted my music style from acoustic folk/indie to electronic. Even combining the two.
Your music, Espen, is amazing. I have a few tracks on my Spotify "electronic" playlist. "The Weekend" and "Don't Go".
Keep it you, and keep these videos coming!! Rock on😎
Your version at the end is like the Pet Shop Boys would have written the song. Like both.
This is close to what I've been practicing on lately. Breaking chords, switching harmonics while keeping the same lead notes.
Cool man!
Nice version of great song!!! I like it!!
Cheers! :D
Great explication, probably one of the very first synthpop songs I've ever heard 13 years ago, when I was 6 (along with "Acqua e Sapone" by the italian band "Stadio", a song with incredible atmospheres). What used to love, and still love about this is that PPG Wave choir sound coming up at the beginning (the same used in "Violence" by the Pet Shop Boys), that sounds so ethereal, I call that "the Forever Young sound", probably my favorite sound from that synth. Being me young now, it sounds very sensible to me, it's a sort of anthem of these awesome days (and years). Thank you so much :)
Thank you very much for another 80's geek. You and Paolo (Synthmania) are the reason that I have just started to learn to play keyboard :)
Thanks Thomas! I'm very happy to hear you're inspired to pick up the keys after watching my channel! Paulo is a great guy as well so following him is very wise! :)
Exactly the same happened to me :)
Same, i love these two channels and start to learning how to play. Seeking old gear is fun too.
You variation at the end works a lot better for me.
All I can say brother is that you are an inspiration. Keep schooling us!
Thanks! I have more coming this winter so stay tuned :)
Interresting take on that song, the DX7 E-piano fits quite well, it emphasises the song more as a ballad.
Great! Thanks for watching :)
I love your chord progression especially on the Chorus by adding the E flat 7 ?? Awesomeness!!
Thanks Johnny! Yes, the Ebmajor7 has a nice feel to it right there. Thanks for watching! :)
"These tutorials are all about learning how chords can work together to create beautiful soundscapes and atmospheres, and stir up some nostalgia and emotions that can take you back to that special place you remember [...]. or it can elevate you to a place you´ve only hear about." Very emotive and powerful words, thank you, Espen. BTW, loved the EbMaj7 trick at the end of your version!
I appreciate you commenting as you do man! I'm happy you liked my rework, it's always scary to take on such classics and twisting them around. Some people gets very upset with these things. I love it myself when someone really dig in and cut up my own work, especially when it's done with elegance and finesse.. ;-)
Really talented man!! :) Just keep doing that you do.
Many thanks! :D
have seen several similar explanations, however this is so far the best one! great job!
Sweet, thanks! :)
I believe Jerusalem from Alphaville is the best Pop song ever!Nothing sounds as good as old synth 80's pop.
great analysis, well done!
Thanks!
great deconstruction and a great song! what a powerful emotional result from such simple, repetitive chord changes. I love the song but it's so powerful that it literally makes me feel uncomfortable and anxious at moments... like it's hard to breathe, knowing how mortal I am, and all of the people I love. best of luck to all of you reading this :)
Thanks man! :)
I completely agree with you, it's the ultimate sound of the 80s. Going back to the place we know :)
And the place we love! :)
Definately. There's just something about the chord progressions and warmth of the synth that says home :)
when I hear this song - I'm crying!
Your version is the best!
Yep. Digging the chord variations a lot.
Very nice ‘Espen style’ rendition of on of the musical milestones in my life! This Alphaville seminal album opened up the world of synthesiser music to me. Kudos!
Cheers! :)
Wow! You did the song even better with the amazing new chords. Very well done:)
Awesome! That warms my heart to know! :)
You have really inspired me to make my own 80’s music. The tutorials and the analysis of the chords is very good and you explain it in a easy way. I’m glad I found you in the TH-cam jungle:) Thank you very much!
Great! Just go for it :)
Enjoying your channel, loved your arrangement. Greatly appreciate your tutorials!
Many thanks Tom! :)
Amazing explanation and cover Espen! Just a slight change in lyrics, whereas you get in tune with the music of the madman: “Praising our leaders, we're getting in tune
The music's played by the, the madman”
Keep up the great work! Love your channel, and yes(!) raised in the eighties of course. 😁👍
Thanks Dennis! I must confess I didn't pick up on that, but it was done live in one take. ;-) We'll keep the decade alive! :D
Espen Kraft absolutely! My kids are actually fond of the 80th and pass it on to their friends. 😁👍
Mine too! ;-)
Loved your interpretation Espen...
Thanks Deniz! :)
I love this channel!!!
Greetings from the Caribbean Sea! The tiny island (archipelago!) of Puerto Rico!
Great rendition (variation) of the song at the end! Great chords! Thank u so much for making these videos! Wishing you the best of health!
Sweet! Many thanks. :D
Oh this is fantastic Espen! Cool of you to really take the time to break this song down for us. You do it in a way that is so personal and translates so well that it makes sense and can be a quick lesson.
Your a great teacher!
Thanks Molly. I appreciate you saying that! :)
Great description and sense 👍
Thanks! :D
yesss How ve I not seen this before thank you
Cheers!
Amazing :) inspirational for musicians of today!
Espen, you are a man after my own heart. You love 80s synth pop and 80s culture, and I often see in the background you've been drinking a tasty Dr. Pepper! Thanks for your great content!
Thanks! Yes, I like Dr.Pepper a lot. ;-)
You nailed it Espen. Took away all the feeling of the song, as I see it.....I know I know.....I´m too old ;-)
I'm old too...
i LIKE THE ORIGINGINAL TONE SETUP
Bravo especially for your personal version, it's like a goosebump-generator - and thank you!!
Awesome. Thanks! :)
your alternative chords were excellent..alphaville were a great minimalist Band
Thanks! Yeah, the were great back then. SImple, yet effective and beautiful in approach.
Espen, Thank you very much for your explanations of „For ever Young“ . This Song is one of my favourite Ballads of the Eighties and today for me and my wife the Headline of our Life.
But there is someting I want to know since 1982.... which Synth plays the awesome Voicesound at the beginning ?
Is it from PPG System ?
This is still so beautiful, that I get totay the shower on my Skin .....
Thanks for your answer and stay Safe !
They did use a PPG, not sure if that's on that. ;-)
With your cover you alleviated your own voice to suit. The strength and meaning of the song are lost, being "forever young" is an obvious farce and you proved that with certainty and innuendo, which ultimately makes it insignificant. (it isn't a lullaby)
Great track, almost forgot about it
Sure, making covers is all about making them pretty different from the original in my opinion. Making covers true to the originals are recreations and I'm not interested in that. You read too much into the meaning of the words for my taste as well, words are propelled by rhythm, verse and flow of vowels in addition to "meaning" when I write for myself and when I break down other peoples tracks in these videos it's to provide guidelines for use in your own writing/composing so to do that I aim my angle much based on own interpretation of the original work. One might agree or disagree with this and it's always interesting to hear other peoples opinions in such things so thanks for commenting and letting us know your emotional response to my "angle". :)
Great mate, you unfolding the beauty behind this song made my day here in Australia
That's awesome Matthew! So glad to hear it! :)
WOW!! This is so fascinating to watch and listen to you analysing my favourite times in music. THANKS A BUNCH!!!
My pleasure. Thanks! :)
my favorite song too. both disco and slow version are great
I agree with you!
FANTASTIC! THANK YOU FOR THE MAGIC! ! ! ! ! !
Cheers! :D
Love your version! Again amazing job!
Thanks again! :)
snyggt jobbat espen!
Tackar! :)
Such a cool song it was used in Napoleon Dynamite!!
Sweet tune. I play this tune too.
Just another great look at a great song Espen. I am enjoying working through this, especially now I have the JD-XA and the Sys-8 setup at home. It is always surprising, although it shouldn't be, how those slight chord variations make such beautiful changes to a song. Thank you so much for taking the time to put these wonderful videos together to share with us all around the world . Take care.
Thanks Colin! Yeah, you have a great setup there and you should be able to make some quality stuff with it! As for my take on the track in this video, it's always daunting to change up too much in a loved classic, but thankfully most so far has liked it so I'm happy about that. I will never do cover versions too close to the originals. Where's the fun in that? :) Take care, mate! :)
Thank You for your work and sharing. So many people are actually "stuck" (in a good way) in 80ies, effectively staying "forever young"... ;-)
Thanks Juris! Yes, let's stay forever young in the best way possible, through the 80s music :)
and in all ways!
Very cool remake you made. It sounds like a mix of Man against the world by Survivor, Pet shop boys and Alphaville.
Cool, thanks man! :)
Very interesting and very well explained. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thanks! :)
It's like a singer-and-guitar song, only this time singer-and-synth. If you can make it work with only those, it's a good song! :)
It's definitely such a track! :)
Your Em7 EbMaj7 Dm7 G11 progression is wonderful. Unexpected, but fits in perfectly at that point in the song. Very nice.
Many thanks! When I do a cover I like to change it up a bit, or else what's the point of doing a cover? ;-)
My second tumme upp. LOVE!
Tackar! :D
Great done!! Sound is awesome! So warm and high quality!
Very happy to hear it! :) Thanks
Hello Espen! Great Tutorial & video 👍👍👍Greetings Matthias 🎹🎵🎶🎵🎹
Thanks Matthias! :)
Nice smoothjazzy take on an amazing 80s anthem. I like it.
Awesome Stefano, thanks! :)
Wonderful, thanks for this! Interestingly it's also the same chord progression as 'Let It Be'.
Macca famouly wrote 'Let It Be' after he was inspired by Aha's 'Take On Me', Bob Marley's 'No Woman, No Cry', and Adele's 'Someone Like You'.
Well, I spent 30 minutes just repeatedly playing these chords :D of course on my JX-8P
Maybe I should record my own version...?
You should do what your heart tells you! :)
If I just would have enough time... :)
But it's one of my "to do" things from today :D
There's never enough time! I know how it is.
@@EspenKraft I just found this comment. I can't believe that I complained for lack of time then! Half a year later I did my own cover with two Rolands: JX8P and D50. Not being humble for a moment I must say, that my version is veeeery good :)
Beautiful. Really nice. Thank you for this. Very informative also. I knew you'd do this wonderfully... How about Big in Japan? That's my personal fave 80's track that stirs me up emotionally.
Thank you! As I have a Forever Young (and a cover) tutorial on my channel from before I'm not going to do anymore Alphaville.
I like it. Thank you!
WOW! Your rendition of "Forever Young" that you play at the end is way better than the original. I love it! Just so so beautiful. Those lush chords... Damn, that's good! =)
BTW, what keyboards are you using on your version? Sounds like the electric piano is layered with a string pad?
Thanks man! Mighty glad you liked it :)
It's a triple combo. Pad from Elka 22, low strings from the Juno 2 itself and Electric Piano from the MKS-20. All controlled from the Juno 2 as seen in the video.
I love your variation. Beautiful.
Thanks! :)
Very well done, Espen. The arrangement at the end didn't sit quite right in my ears, but it's possible the dissonance was just my brain clinging to the original harmonies. Always look forward to your videos.
Thanks Ryan! I can certianly understand that messing with such a classic can upset (in different ways) ears used to hearing the only TRUE version. I'm like that myself, but I also love cover versions of classics done completely different than the originals. To simply make re-creations isn't my thing so either notes or sound/production must change drastically if I'm to make a cover. And I have more in the loop... ;-)
Espen Kraft Yes, I completely agree. Sometimes that dissonant reaction is a great source of reflection. A new perspective. That is what art is all about, after all.
You are Big Master. Thanks. Greetings Adam 😎
Thanks again! :)
Ah what a song, what a song!
Thankyou Espen, you are just the best, I love it, I also wonder if Anders and yourself can do a session just speaking in your Norwegian native tongue I would really enjoy trying to pick that up, cheers from New Zealand.
Thanks! I'm not sure I'd like to do a whole live stream in Norwegian, but we did exchange a few lines in Norwegian in the live stream just before New Years eve. ;-)
I watched that Espen and I thought it was just fine that is what spiked my interest, by the way I have just tried to follow the chords of forever young you played and finally cracked it and that gave me real buzz, I am using my Roland XP - 50 withe SR-JV80 - 04 vintage expansion on patch number 111 Juno 106 pad, it is now 22:10 here in New Zealand and I must go to bed, once again thanks for your invaluable time, cheers.
МНОГО добро, браво и БЛАГОДАРЯ!
Many thanks!
Music gear, creativity and a cold tasty Dr Pepper! :-) what else do you need! :-) Great video's! Thanx!
Thanks! With a can of Dr.Pepper things turn out well ;-)
Beautiful adaptation, more emotive than the original...
Sweet, thanks! :)
Excelent work!!! I love this song!!! :)
Thanks Abril! :)
Is there such a thing as gear-envy? Well if there is, I have it. :) AMAZING WORK on this!
Envy destroys the soul... ;-)
Verry good 🙂
Nice.... thanks!
Thanks!
I Like it!
Espen, enjoyed this. My favourite Alphaville track, pity you dont have a PPG Wave for the synth stabs, what are you using for the string pad, is it the Alpha Juno? You have some nice gear, greetings from UK. Neil
Thanks! I wouldn't mind a PPG Wave for sure.. ;-) This was recorded a long time ago, but I think it's a mix of Elka EK22 and Roland Alpha (or JX-8P) for a pad/mix combo and a DX7 for the electric piano part.
Hei Espen, nice tut and beautiful singing :-)
Takk Eivind! Thanks a million ;D
Espen, your stuff is GREAT! Break down a Pet Shop Boys song next :) 80s forever!
Thanks! I'm not sure I'll do a Pet Shop Boys track on my channel, when I'm so close to them in my own sound and singing. I have other 80s acts lined up in the near future though :)
One of my fav' s track too!
Great tutorial as always!
Thanks Espen.
Regards.
Mysterio FTS
Thanks you Sir! :)
Очень красивая интерпретация, хотя, конечно немного непривычный переход на Eb maj 7. Эту версию я назвал бы облегченной, или более джазовой. Я сейчас подобную музыку стараюсь научиться делать, используя технику, имеющуюся в моей студии. Ваше видео очень помогает понять какой звук должен быть. Спасибо за прекрасные ролики!
Many thanks Aleks! Happy you found it inspiring!